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An examination of elicitation method on fundamental frequency and repeatability of average airflow measures in
Susan Baker Brehm1, Barbara D Weinrich, Dana C Sprouse
1Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA. bakerse1@muohio.edu
Insights
Task type affects fundamental frequency (F(0)) in young children, but average airflow measurements are reliable over short periods. This research aids in evaluating voice disorders in children.
Area of Science:
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Pediatric Voice Science
- Acoustic Phonetics
Background:
- Understanding vocal parameters like fundamental frequency (F(0)) and airflow is crucial for assessing children's voices.
- Task-dependent variations in vocal production can impact measurement reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different speech tasks influence F(0) in preschool/kindergarten-aged children.
- To assess the short-term repeatability of average airflow measurements in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Prospective experimental study involving 30 healthy children (4.0-5.11 years).
- Participants performed sustained vowel, counting, and storytelling tasks for F(0) measurement.
- Two trials of sustained /a/ were conducted with a 10-minute interval for average airflow rate measurement.
Main Results:
- Significant effect of task type on F(0) values was found (P=0.0003).
- A significant difference in F(0) was noted between counting and storytelling tasks (P<0.0001).
- No significant difference in average airflow rate was observed between two trials (P=0.872).
Conclusions:
- Fundamental frequency (F(0)) in young children can be influenced by the speech task used for elicitation.
- Average airflow measurements demonstrate short-term stability, suggesting reliability for instrumental assessments.
- Findings are vital for establishing appropriate evaluation methods and ensuring the reliability of instrumental voice measures in pediatric populations.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of task type on fundamental frequency (F(0)) and the short-term repeatability of average airflow values in preschool/kindergarten-age children.
Study Design:
Prospective, experimental.
Methods:
Thirty healthy children (age 4.0-5.11 years) were included in this study. Participants completed three tasks (sustained vowel, counting, and storytelling) used to elicit measurements of F(0). With a 10-minute interval, participants also completed two trials of sustained /a/ at a comfortable pitch and loudness level for the measurement of average airflow rate. F(0) and intensity of the vowel production were recorded for both trials.
Results:
A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for task type elicitation on F(0) values (P=0.0003). A significant difference between elicitation tasks for F(0) was observed in the comparison of the counting and storytelling task (P<0.0001). A paired t test revealed no significant difference in average airflow rate across two trials (P=0.872). The change in F(0) and intensity was measured across the trials, and separate analyses of covariance revealed that these changes did not significantly influence average airflow values, (P=0.809) and (P=0.365), respectively.
Conclusions:
The results of this study demonstrated that F(0) may be influenced by task type in young children. Average airflow values appear to be stable over a short time period. This information is important in determining methods of evaluation and the reliability of instrumental measures in young children with voice disorders.
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